The present invention relates to a handlebar shifter for operating bicycle derailleur system. A plate is connected to the rotatable member of the shifter device and has a plurality of notches so as to be engaged with the resilient member. Both of the plate and the resilient member are made of metal.
A conventional handlebar shifter device for operating bicycle derailleur system is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 and generally includes a fixed piece 60 fixedly connected to the handlebar of a bicycle and a tube 601 extends from an end surface of the fixed piece 60. A recess 602 is defined in the end surface of the fixed piece 60 so as to receive a resilient member 62 therein which has an index peak 621. A rotatable member 70 is rotatably mounted to the tube 601 and includes a tubular portion 701 on which a grasp of the handlebar is mounted. A curve plate 702 extends from an end surface of the rotatable member 70 and a slot defined in an outer surface of the curve plate 702. A derailleur cable 61 has one end connected to the derailleur system (not shown) and the other end is fixed in the slot. A plurality of notches 703 are defined in an inner periphery of the curve plate 702 so that the index peak 621 of the resilient member 62 is engaged with one of them. When rotating the rotatable member 70, the derailleur cable 61 is pulled or loosened and the position of the notches 703 are rotated to allow the peak 621 to be engaged with one notch 703. By this way, the derailleur cable 61 is operated and set in position. Nevertheless, the curve plate 702 is made of plastic material and the resilient member 62 is made of metal, the plastic made curve plate 702 is worn out by the metal made resilient member 62 so that the index peak 621 of the resilient member 62 cannot well engaged with the notches 703 such that the movement of the derailleur cable 61 is not precisely operated and the chain of the derailleur system become dull.
The present invention intends to provide a handlebar shifter device that has a metal plate co-rotatably connected to the rotatable member and the index peak of the resilient member is engaged with the notches of the plate.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a handlebar shifter device for operating bicycle derailleur system and the device comprises a fixed piece connected to a bicycle handlebar and a tube extends from an end surface of the fixed piece so that a rotatable member is rotatably mounted to the tube. A recess is defined in the end surface of the fixed piece and a resilient member is received in the recess. The resilient member has an index peak. A cable retaining hole is defined in the fixed piece for receiving a derailleur cable therein.
The rotatable member has an annular flange extending from an end surface thereof and two blocks extend from the second end surface of the rotatable member. One of the blocks has a slot for receiving an end piece on the derailleur cable.
A plate has a hole for being mounted on the annular flange two protrusions extend from an outer periphery of the plate and respectively contact the two blocks on the rotatable member. A plurality of notches are defined in an outer periphery of one of the protrusions and the index peak of the resilient member is engaged with one of the notches.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a handlebar shifter that has a metal plate located between the fixed piece and the rotatable member so that the resilient member is engaged with the plate and the plate is durable to precisely position the index peak of the resilient member.
The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.